Muslim communities across Georgia asked their neighbors on Saturday for understanding by sponsoring “Visit a Mosque Day.” It was an opportunity to learn more about their religion and the event went forward despite a series of threatening messages sent to four Mosques in February.

Saturday afternoon, the parking lot at the Savannah Islamic Center was full as people from various faiths made the effort to attend.

“Really I believe the majority of Amerians do not know who Muslims are,” said Dr. Ahmad Masoud from the Islamic Center of Savannah. “We are no different than any of the people are of a different faith.

The local center opening its doors for the statewide event. “So we want them to visit a Mosque and see how we worship, see how we live and just like everybody else, see that we’re all Americans.” Dr. Ahmad Masoud.

And the Islamic Center had some help from what some would call an unexpected ally, the Savannah Area Young Republicans. “I want to learn a little bit more about what Muslims do, waht they represent, what their values are,” says Stephen Plunk from the Savannah Area Young Republicans. “We also want the chance to have an interfaith dialogue about what we believe with what Muslims beliieve.”

So it seems that both joined togethher to tackle stereotypes. “Because maybe all they see about Muslims is what’s on CNN or Facebook adn when they think of Muslims, they think of ISIS but if you have the chance to come here to a Mosque and see real Muslims practicing their faith peacefully,” said Plunk.

Dr. Masoud telling us “if there is terrorism, it affects everybody, it affects Muslims as well as non-Muslims.”